Convertible pocket for garments



ug 2@ w41@ R.' LAUREA CONVERTIBLE POCKET FOR GARMENTS Filed Dec. 2o,1945 ,4free/vers Patented Aug. 20, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEvCNVERTIBLE POCKET'FOR GARMENTS Ralph Lauria, Cleveland Heights, OhioApplication December 20, 1943, Serial No. 514,905

This invention is a convertible pocket that may be used in various kindsof garments and is intended more especially for use in coats or jacketsfor mens or womens wear, and yet more particularly for use in menscoats.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a construction thatenables the pocket to be quickly and conveniently converted from aconcealed pocket to a so-called patch pocket and vice versa, whereby agarment incorporating the pocket may be used with propriety forconservative dress on some occasions, and for sports wear on others,thus giving the single garment a twofold purpose.

Among the advantages of the invention, additional to providing atwo-purpose garment, as above pointed out, are, first, the provision ofa two-compartment pocket in which articles may be kept separated, ifdesired, and, secondly, the provision of a safety pocket including acompartment in which valuable articles may be placed and which may be soarranged that removal of such articles is rendered diicult to a personunfamiliar with the pocket construction.

Other objects additional to the foregoing will appear as I proceed todescribe the invention in detail, among which aresimplicity ofconstruction; neatness of appearance, and convenience of use; and theseveral objects are attained in the embodiments of the inventionillustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein Fig. 1 is a fragmentaryview of a garment incorporating the invention and showing it as aconcealed slit-type pocket, the dotted lines indicating the position ofthe underlying shiftable or so-called patch pocket; Fig. 2 is a Viewsimilar to Fig. 1 with the shiftable pocket disposed outside thegarment, the dotted lines in the present view indicating the slit of theconcealed pocket; Figs. 3 and 4 are sections on the lines 3 3 of Fig. 1and 4-4 of Fig. 2, respectively, on a scale considerably enlarged overthat of the preceding views; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of agarment'incorporating a flap style pocket constructed in accordance withthe invention; Fig. 6 is a similar View of the same garment with theshiftable or patch pocket on the outer side of the garment, and Figs. '7and 8 are sectional Views on the lines 1-1 of Fig. 5 and 8-8 of Fig. 6,respectively.

For the sake of simplicity of illustration, and in order to avoidconfusion, I ,have shown the thickness of the fabrics considerablyexaggerated in the sectional views, and stays of stiftening material,linings, etc. have been omitted from the illustrated constructions. Itwill be understood, however, that in all embodiments of the inventionthe practices of good tailoring are to be followed, and any craftsmanfamiliar with the art to which the invention pertains would, as a matterof course, supply the customary details.

Describing first'the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. l to 4,the piece of material that forms the body portion of the garment isdesignated A, the concealed pocket, B, and the shiftable or so-calledpatch pocket, C. The piece A is provided with a pocket slit a that formsthe entrance to the concealed pocket B, and the cuter wall b of thelatter pocket is stitched to said piece A adjacent the bottom of theslit a'. The top edge portion of the inner wall b2 of the concealedpocket is attached to the inner side of the piece A a substantialdistance above the slit a', as is also the corresponding edge of theinner wall c of the shiftable pocket. The outer wall c2 of the latterpocket extends a material distance above the slit a and when theshiftable pocket is disposed within the concealed pocket, as illustratedin Figs. 1 and 3, the top edge portion of said outer Wall c2 occupies arecess d2 above the slit a', so that such edge will not interfere in anyway with the insertion of the hand through said slit into the concealedpocket B. In accordance with common practice, the edges of the opposedwalls of the respective pockets B and C are stitched together down eachsiderand across the bottom, although this detail has been omitted fromthe drawing for reasons already mentioned. It should be explained,however, that the lateral edges of the inner and outer walls of theshiftable pocket are free from each other above the planeof the slit aso that the top edge portion of the outer wall c2 may overlap the pieceA above the slit a' when the pocket is in the condition illustrated inFigs. 2 and 4.

In the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, the wearer may use theconcealed pocket B in the ordinary manner by inserting his hand throughthe slit a', and in the event that he should desire to keep objectscarried in the pocket separated, some may be placed within the pocket Cand others, for ready accessibility, in the pocket B. Inasmuch as thetop edge portion of the outer wall c2 of pocket C is tucked within therecess a2 above the slit a', the contents of the shiftable pocket arereasonably safe from theft.

VWhen it is desired to convert the pocket, the wearer simply reaches inthrough the slit a' and withdraws the pocket C through said slit andallows it to hang on the outer side of the piece A, as illustrated inFigs. 2 and 4, with the upper edge portion of the outer wall c2overlying the adjacent portion of said piece Where it will conceal theslit a.

In order to retain the shiftable pocket in proper position on the outerside of the piece of material A, I may attach a strap c3, desirably ofthesame material as said pocket, to the bottom of the `pocket and whichstrap may be drawn down and carried beneath the lower edge or the pieceA and suitably attached to the inner side thereof, as by means of a snapfastener c4. One of the members of the same snap fastener may beemployed for holding thev strap c3 up on the rear side of the shiftablepocket when the latter is disposed within the concealed pocket, asillustrated in Figs. 3 and 7, where said fastener mem- Y ber is shown ascooperating with another that is attached to the inner wall of theshiftable pocket.

The pocket C, in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4, may be used in thecustomary manner, and should the wearer desire, he may place articles inthe concealed pocket B by lifting the pocket C enough to gain access topocket B through the slit a.

The only essential diierence between the above described constructionand that illustrated in Figs, 5 to S is the inclusion of the flap D,which is suitably connected to the piece ofk material A along the tcp ofa relatively wide slit a3, although, for the sake of simplicity, theflap is shown in Figs. 7 and 8 as though it were an integral part ofsaid piece of material. If desired, the upper edge portion of the outerwall c2 of the shiftable pocket may be detachably connected to theadjacent portion of the inner wall by a snap fastener c5 or otherfastening means.

Also, in the present-construction, the front and rear walls of theshiftable pocket are connected together all the way up to the top edgeof the outer Wall and adjacent its upper corners, above the plane of thelower edge of the slitY a3, the shiftable pocket is securely anchored tothe piece A.

YHaving thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A convertible pocket for garments comprising, in combination, a pieceof material having a pocket slit, a concealed pocket permanentlysituated on the inner side of said piece and access to which is hadthrough said slit, and a shitable pocket including inner and outerwalls, the top edge of the inner wall being attached to said piece onthe inner side thereof above said slit so that the shiitable pocket maybe pry 'ected outwardly through the slit and hang on the outer side ofsaid piece, or inserted through the slit so as to repose within theconcealed pocket.

2. A convertible pocket for garments comprising, in combination, a pieceof material having a pocket slit, a concealed pocket including an innerwall the top edge portion of which is attached to said pieceasubstantial distance above said slit, said slit affording access to theinterior of said pocket, and a shiftable pocket including inner andouter Walls, the top edge of the inner Wall of the last mentioned pocketbeing attached to said piece on the inner side thereof a sufficientdistance above said slit to provide a recess, the top edge portion ofthe outer wall of said shiftable pocket being. free from the inner wallabove the plane of said slit, the shiftable pocket being adapted to beprojected outwardly through the slit so as to hang on the outer side ofsaid piece, or inserted through the slit so as to repose within theconcealed pocket with the top edge portion of its outer wall containedwithin the aforesaid recess.

3. A convertible pocket for garments comprising, in combination, a pieceof material having a pocket slit, a concealed pocket including inner andouter walls that are connected together down each side and across thebottom, the top edge portion of the outer wall being attached to theinner side of said piece below said slit and the top edge portion of theinner wall being attached to said piece on the inner side thereof asubstantial distance above said slit, and a shiftable pocket includinginner and outer walls that are connected together down each side andacross the bottom, the top edge portion of the inner wall of `the lastmentioned pocket being attached to said piece on the inner side thereofa. substantial distance above the slit, the .top edgeA portion of theouter wall of the shiftable pocket being free from the inner Wall abovethe plane of said slit.

4. A convertible pocket for garments comprising, in combination, a pieceof material having a pocket slit,'a ap connected to said piece ofmaterial above Athe slitand depending over the same for a substantialdistance therebelow, a concealed poclretl situated on the inner side ofsaid piece and access to which is had through said slit, and a shiftablepocket includingrinner and outer walls, the top edge of the inner wallbeing attached to said piece on the inner side thereof above said slitso that the shitable` pocket maybe projected outwardly tl'iroughl theslit and hang on the outer sidey of said piece, or insertedv through.the slit so as to repose within the concealed pocket.

5-. A convertible pocket for garments comprising, in combination, apieceof material having a pocket s-lita nap connected to said piece ofmaterial above the slit and depending over the same ior a substantialdistancetherebelow,.a concealed pocket includingv inner andouter Wallsthat are connected together down each side and across the bottom,the'top edge portion of thecouter Wall being attached to'the'innersideof saidzpiece below saidslit and the topedge portion of the innerwall being attached to said piece on the: inner side thereof asubstantial distance above saidr slit, andi-a shiftable pocket includinginner and outer walls, the top edge portion of the inner wall of thelast mentioned pocket being attached to saidpiece on the inner sidethereof a substantial distance abovethe slit.

46. A convertible pocket for garments comprising, in combination, apiece of material having a pocket slit, a concealed pocket permanentlyreposing on theinner side 0f said piece and access to Which is hadthrough said slit, and a shiftable` pocket attached at its top to saidpiece adjacent the slit-so that the last mentionedY pocket may hang onthe outer side of said piece or be projected through the slit so as torepose within the concealed pocket, and separable means for detachablyconnecting the shiftable pocket, adja- RALPH LAURIA.

